Sun visors for vehicles have been well known and widely used in the prior art. A typical design includes an elongate planer member that is rotatably and pivotably mounted to a vehicle headliner in an automobile. Various designs have developed over the years, some meeting with wide success. As automobile interiors have advanced in complexity, design and styling, supplemental features and various interior components have become increasingly desirable. The advances in the interior design have accompanied an increasing tendency for exterior designs to be more uniform. Thus, an aesthetically pleasing interior design has become the hallmark of the high quality and luxury in modern day automobiles.
Advances in styling and the addition of features, functions and components for interior trim pieces have, in many instances, caused significant cost increases in manufacturing. These increases result from more labor intensive manufacturing steps, as well as a greater number of components and higher costs associated with intricately styled pieces. Accordingly, interior trim designers are constantly searching for new ways to facilitate manufacturing and assembly of interior trim components without sacrificing style. One approach to this goal has been the increasing use of modular components. A wide variety of designs are known in the prior art for snap-in or other relatively easily attached components for various trim features in the vehicle. For example, many automobile visors are manufactured with optional snap-in mirrors, lights, electrical connectors, and similar features. A particular advantage of modular components is that the universal visor bases may be manufactured, and the modular components optionally attached as desired. Thus, relatively cheaper automobiles may call for a relatively simpler visor design that includes a basic visor body portion covered with upholstery and nothing more. Other, high end models may call for a visor body portion having various additional features, for example, electrical connections, lights, mirrors, clips, etc. Designs are known wherein a single visor body portion may be used as the base module for numerous different vehicle interior designs.
Of particular interest to many designers in the visor art has been the provision of storage devices within the vehicle visor system. The desirability of such devices is familiar to many consumers. It is well known to stuff tickets, maps, letters and other paper materials into a flexible band on the visor. Many consumers will simply position a variety of items above the visor, between the visor body portion and the vehicle headliner, relying on the upward bias of the adjustable visor to maintain the items in place. A major disadvantage of this activity is that the visor cannot be rotated or folded down to a position whereby it can shield incoming sunlight without dumping the contents stored above into the lap of the vehicle driver or passenger. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a simple letter or holder device for storing various flat items on a vehicle visor such that the visor is still capable of being used to block the sun, glare and the like. There also is a need in the art for a D-ring or center retainer that is capable of securing the upholstery fabric against the body of the visor body while also providing a clip or flexible flange for storing letters or other planar objects thereon. There also is a need in the art for a flange that will be capable of storing planar objects, letters, tickets, etc., between a portion of a D-ring and a surface of the flange. There also is a need in the art for a D-ring with a flange for holding a ticket, letter or other planar object that is easy to manufacturing and install within the automotive vehicle environment.